Steering-gear for motor-vehicles.



D. H. (ZOLES.

STEERING GEAR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLIUATION PILBD MAY 9, 190a.

' 914;;019, Patented Mar.2, 1909.

QLM AQ Tue: NORRIS PETERS c0., WASHINGTON. 0. c4

DAVID H. COLES, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

STEERING-GEAR FOR MOTOR-VEHICLE$.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 2, 1909.

Application filed May 9, 1908. Serial N 0, 431,845.

steering mechanism for self-propelled vehicles, Serial No. 411,996,filed January 21st, 1908, I have described and claimed a device of thischaracter, the invention therein consisting in the interposition betweenthe steering-wheel (or other means for controlling the steeringmechanism) and the steering (front) wheels of the automobile of a leverso arranged that the relative lengths of the two arms of the lever maybe changed or varied with the increase or decrease in the speed ofmovement of the vehicle, to the end that said lever shall operate toturn the wheels at a less angle when the machine is moving at a highrate of speed than when it is moving at a low rate of speed, even thoughthe steering wheel or other corresponding control device is shifted tosubstantially the same extent in both cases. One of the automatic meanstherein disclosed for altering the relative lengths of the respectivearms of the interposed lever depended upon the action of governor ballsrising against the force of gravit under the action of a revolvingvertical shaft to effect the change in position of the power arm of thesteering lever. While the governor balls revolve about a vertical axis,power is wasted in lifting their dead weight every time the speedincreases, and this is in addition to the power which must be impartedto the balls for enabling them to do the work required of them. It isalso found that space is not economized below the body of the car byarranging the governor balls to revolve about a vertical shaft in themanner described.

My present invention, which is an improvement on the one described andclaimed in my application Serial No. 411,996, has for its primary objectto overcome the objections above noted by mounting the governor balls,which, by their centrifugal action,

effect the varying of the length of the power arm of the steering lever,on a horizontal shaft such as on the motor drive shaft. By thisarrangement the governor balls require no extra power to lift their massbecause they revolve in a vertical plane and are balanced against eachother. \Vliatever power is imparted by the drive shaft to effect theirmovement is effectively utilized in regulating the steering device. Thegovernor occupies but very little space and the power transmittinglevers operated by it are hidden by the frame of the car and do notinterfere with other mechanism.

A further object of my invention is to provide a simple means controlledby the governor balls for showing the position of the steering gearlever and also indicating the speed of the car.

These and other objects will be more fully explained in the detaileddescription following.

Certain mechanical expressions of the inventive idea involved arehereinafter specifically described and shown in the accompanyingdrawings, which are designed merely as illustrations to assist in thedescription of the invention and not as defining the limits thereof,reference being had to the claims for that purpose.

In said drawingsl igure l is a view in side elevation of an automobile,provided with my improved governor in connection with the steeringmechanism, certain parts of the ve hicle being omitted to betterillustrate my improvement. Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1. Figs. 3, 4and 5 are transverse sectional details, Fig. 3 being taken through thegovernor balls, Fig. 4 taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5through the head of the steering rod.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 1 indicates the frame of an automobile, 2the front axle thereof, and 3 the front wheels which, as usual, areconnected to the axle so as to have angular adjustment with relationthereto for the purpose of steering the vehicle, the angular adjustmentbeing secured through a lever 4, rigid with the spindle upon which thewheels turn, and which is connected by suitable mechanism with asteering wheel 5.

Mounted on the driving shaft 6, which is preferably horizontal or nearlyso, are two collars 7 and 8 one of which is fast to the shaft, and theother splined to and longitudinally movable thereon. In the presentillustration collar 7 is made fast and collar 8 is slidable. Bothcollars are provided ith a plurality of hinge members 9, 10. As shov 11,there are four of these members on each collar, disposed equally aroundthe inner faces thereof. Engaging oppositely disposed hinge members aresprings 11, preferably thin and broad with just sufficient rigidity tosustain the weight of the balls 12, 12, but with sufficient elasticityto allow the ballsto throw out by centrifugal force when the shaft 6 isrevolved. For the pur ose of preventing the springs 11 from ratt ingagainst the shaft when running on low speed, provide means such assprings 13, 13, Preferably secured to the springs 1 1, which cushion thecontact and render the operation of the governor noiseless. One of thecollars 8 is provided with a central reduced bearing portion forreceiving a band 14, which permits the collar to turn therein, thecollar being provided with a spline 15,Fig. 4, which causes it torevolve with the shaft 6 while permitting longitudinal movement of thecollar on the shaft. The band 14 is provided with lugs 16 diametricallydisposed for receiving the forked members 1 7 of a lever 18 pivotallysupported from the frame of the car by a hanger, not shown. To the outerarm of lever 18 is hinged a link 19 engaging one arm of a bell crank 20,the other arm of the crank having a link connection 21 with a yoke 22 onthe rear end of steering rod 23, the forward end of which has a hingedconnection with an arm 24, thereby permitting the yoke end of the rod 23to move up and down on the curved arm 27 as the speed varies. The arm 24completes the connection of the rod 23 with lever 4, which directlyeffects the angular movement of the wheels to the right or left.

Movement is imparted to the steering rod 23 in the present instance by aworm gear 25 on the shaft of the steering wheel 5, meshing with asteering gear 26 provided with a lever arm 27, preferably curved, whichenters the yoke 22 to conform to the movement of the rod 23. To reducefriction the yoke may be provided with antifriction means such asantifriction rolls 28, Fig. 5, or they may be omitted. While I haveshown and described a worm gear for actuating the arm 27 any other meansmay be used for this purpose, under control of the operator.

The operation of the governor in controlling the steering mechanism willbe readily understood. When the machine is moving at a low rate ofspeed, the parts of the governor and steering mechanism will occupy theposition shown in Figs. 1 and 2. If now the operator desires to turn themachine from the right line in which he is moving, he will turn thesteering wheel 5in the pro er direction, and thereby swing the depencing lever arm 27 to move the steering rod 23, which through itsconnections with the steering wheels gives to them a correspondingangularturn. If the speed of the machine is increased, centrifugal forcewill cause the balls 12 to moveoutward on radial lines from the driveshaft 6 against the tension of springs 11, causing the latter to bowoutward while hinging at their ends and pull splined collar 8 rearwardon the drive shaft, and with it the loose collar 14 and inner arm oflever 18 which acts through link 19, bell crank 20, and link 21. to liftthe yoke end. of steering rod 23. The result of thus shifting theposition of the yoke 22 on arm 27 is to shorten the effective radius ofthe arm 27 whereby the same angular movement of the steering wheel 5will impart less rectilinear movement to the steering rod 23 than in itsformer position. The front wheels will therefore have less angularmovement imparted to them even though the angular movement of thesteering-wheel be the same. On reduction of speed the governor ballsunder action of the long springs 11 return to their original position,but are prevented from clattering on the shaft because of the cushionsprings 13.

It will be observed that practically no energy of the drive shaft isrequired in lifting the balls as the speed increases, for the reasonthat the governor balls are disposed in pairs, about a horizontal shaft,the weights of the balls of each pair balancing each other. The governoris thereby enabled to begin its action with less expenditure of powerfrom the drive shaft, and responds quickly to any changes of speed.

I have also provided means which functionate with the centrifugalgovernor for indicating the speed of the car, and also the position ofthe steering rod on the steering gear lever. For this purpose the elbowof the bell crank 20 is provided with a segmental gear 29, meshing witha bevel gear 30 on a stem 31 entering a case 32 containing the usualdial and pointer of a speedometer or indicator. Since the movement ofthe bell crank 20 is dependent upon the centrifugal action of thegovernor balls 12 and this movement in turn depends on the speed of thedrive shaft 6, which determines the speed of the vehicle, I am enabledin a simple manner to determine the speed of the car and also theposition of the steering rod on the steering gear lever.

In order that the operation of the governor may be controlled at will topermit the steering gear to perform its full function or to limit itsaction, a device is provided which enables the operator to control thecentrifugal governor or even throw it out of action. This deviceconsists of a lever located accessible to the operator, and preferablyin form of a pedal 32 pivotally supported on the frame 1 and having anarm 33 hinged to a push rod 34 extending rearward to engage the work-armof the lever 18. On push rod 34 and at a suitable distance from its endis a lug or stop 35. When it is desired to throw the centrifugalgovernor out of operation, the pedal 32 is pressed down, thereby causingthe stop 35 to bear against the work arm of lever and prevent itsmovement by the governor.

Instead of mounting the governor balls directly on'the drive shaft, Imay mount them on any other su port, and cause them to rotate by powertaxen from any moving art of the vehicle, provided the governor hallsare so arranged as to require little or no part of such power to be usedin lifting the balls against gravity. For example, it is within thescope of my invention to revolve the governor balls in a horizontalplane while supporting their weight on horizontal arms on which theballs may slide under centrifu al force, and thereby vary the action oft e steering means.

What I claim is 1. In steering mechanism for self-propelled vehicleshaving wheels which are turned to effect the steering thereof, thecombination of steering mechanism to efiect the steering movement, acentrifugal ball governor and connecting means between the same and saidsteering mechanism, said governor responding to change of speed ofthevehicle and uninfluenced by the force of gravity for varying the actionof said steering mechanism according to said speed variation.

2. In steering mechanism for self-propelled vehicles having wheels whichare turned to effect the steering thereof, the combination with suchwheels, of a manually operable gear having a lever arm, a steering rodloosely engaging said arm for transmitting power to said wheels toeffect the steering movement, and automatic means for varying theposition of said rod on said arm according to speed variations of thevehicle.

3. In steering mechanism forself-propclled vehicles having wheels whichare turned to effect the steering thereof, the combination with suchwheels, of a manually operable gear having a lever arm, a steering rodloosely engaging said arm for transmitting power to said wheels toeffect the steering movement, and a horizontal centrifugal ball governorresponding to changes of speed of the vehicle in operative connectionwith said rod to shift the latter on said lever arm.

4. In steering mechanism for self-propelled vehicles having wheels whichare turned to effect the steering thereof, the combination with suchwheels, of a manually o erable power device, asteering rod oneratedtiereby, a horizontal centrifugal ba ll governor respending to variationsof speed opcratively connected to said steering rod for varying itsthrow according to speed variations of the vehicle.

5. In steering mechanism for self-propelled vehicles having wheels whichare turned to effect the steering thereof, the combination with suchwheels, of a manually operable power device, mechanism transmittingpower from said device to said wheels to effect the steering movements,a centrifugal ball governor means connecting the same with saidmechanism, said governor responding to changes of speed of the vehiclefor varying the action of said mechanism, and means under control of theoperator for throwing said governor in or out of action.

6. In steering mechanism for self-propelled vehicles having wheels whichare turned to effect the steering thereof, the combination with suchwheels, of a manually operable power device, a steering rod operatedthereby,

a centrifugal governor responding to variations of speed of the vehicleoperatively connected to said steering rod to vary its throw accordingto said speed variations, and a dial hand operated by said governor.

7 In steering mechanism for self-propelled vehicles having wheels whichare turned to effect the steering thereof, the combination with suchwheels, of a manually operable power device, means transmitting powerfrom said device to said wheels to effect the steering movement, acentrifugal governor responding to variations of speed of the vehiclefor varying the action of said transmitting means, and an indicatingdial in operative connection with said governor.

S. In combination, hand-operated steering means for an automobile, ahorizontal driving shaft provided with a fixed and a movable collar,hinged springs connecting said collars, each of said springs supportinga centrifugal governor ball, and provided with a cushion spring normallypressing on said shaft, and means connecting said last-named collar withsaid steering means for varying its action according to speedvariations,

9. In steering mechanism for self-propelled vehicles having wheels whichare turned to effect the steering thereof, the combination with suchwheels, of a manually operable power device, a steering rod operatedthereby trolled by the operator for varying the extent a bell crankprovided with a rack for engagof action of said governing means. ing anindicator drive gear, and means re- In testimony whereof I have signedthis sponding to the speed of the vehicle operating specification in thepresence of two subscrib- 5 said crank to vary the throw of saidsteering ing witnesses.

rod and to turnsaid drive gear. V D AVID H CYOLES.

10. In combinatlon, steerlng mechanism for a self-propelled vehicle,means subject to Witnesses: speed variations of said vehicle governingthe RALPH L. SCOTT, 10 action of said mechanism, and means con- W; H.HARTING.

